Maria had always looked forward to Sundays. On that day, the house filled with a special kind of quiet—Andrei left early for his run, and she could be alone for a while. Not in anger, not in resentment—just with herself. To get things done, to think, to remember who she was. Today she decided to … Read more
The phone call woke Olga. Looking at the clock, she saw it was still not even six in the morning. On the other end of the line, her father’s voice trembled, unlike his usual tone, as if he was holding back tears. — Olyenka, dear… They took mom to the hospital. Something with her heart… … Read more
Katya, there’s something…,” Alexey said, nervously shifting in his chair as he sat at the table. “You know I’m leaving for a business trip tomorrow, right?” “I know,” Ekaterina tensed up. Alexey seemed unusually worried. She started to feel anxious as well. “What happened? Did they ask you to stay on the business trip longer?” … Read more
Yulenka, if you don’t start improving in physics and mathematics, they won’t admit you to college,” her mother worried. “I just can’t get these subjects, mom.” “Maybe we should hire a tutor?” “We have a new teacher for physics and math — Gennady Mikhailovich. He’s just out of university. Very smart. Maybe you could ask … Read more
Sixteen years have passed since Timur left his native village, slamming the gate of his father’s house. He was a young man then—only twenty, with a suitcase in his hand and pain in his chest. All these years, his mother wrote to him: at first often, every week, then once a month… over time, the … Read more
On a rainy autumn evening, when the sky was covered with dense clouds and the whole world was painted in gloomy gray tones, I was walking home after an exhausting workday. Suddenly, through the sound of rain and the hum of traffic, I heard a strange, piercing cry. It stood out from the other sounds, … Read more
On the ninth floor of the new building, the air smelled of fresh renovation—glue, whitewash, and cardboard boxes from Leroy Merlin. Outside the windows, there were gray garage roofs and in the distance, a barely noticeable strip of forest, still asleep from its winter slumber. Spring was somewhere nearby but hesitated to enter. Lena stood … Read more
Late evening. The streets were almost empty—just the right time for the work Zamira usually did. Slowly, without rushing, she emptied the trash cans and placed the rubbish into a large black bag. A young Uzbek woman with no education beyond school struggled for every ruble to make ends meet. In the morning, she swept … Read more
You?” Elena’s voice was surprised and even frightened. When she opened the door, she least expected to see Oleg standing on the threshold of their former apartment. “Yes,” he smirked. “Will you let me in? After all, I’m not a stranger here.” Elena stepped back, letting her ex-husband into their once-shared apartment. Oleg walked in, … Read more
Olga eagerly flipped through the culinary magazine, making notes in the margins. The new recipe for French julienne seemed especially interesting to her. “I’ll have to try adding white mushrooms instead of champignons,” she thought, imagining how she would surprise her husband with the unusual flavor. Cooking had always been her passion. She could spend … Read more